Excavating-machine



s; Y. moucmow.

EXCAVATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IULY 7, I919. 1,375,798. Pat ted Apr- 26, 1921'.

IN V EN TOR 5A WYEI? Milan/arrow BY fid, 26M

ATTORNEY PATENT OFFICE.

SAWYER Y. MONCKTON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA;

EXCAVATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Application filed July 7, 1919. Serial No. 309,447.

To all whom it mm concern:

Be it known that f, Sawrnn Y. MONOKTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Excavating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is an improvement in ditching machines, and relates particularly to that type of ditching or excavating machines which is provided with track-layers or caterpillar units on either side of the machine.

The primary object of the invention is to provide control accessible to an operator within the deck-house of the machine, which will control the equilibrium of the frame supporting a boom. The device hereinafter mentioned applies only to ditching machines carrying a swinging pivoted boom from which the tackle is suspended which operates the dredger, drag-line, shovel or clam-shell excavator, as the case may be. In machines of this character, it has heretofore been essential to preserve a level foundation of the entire machine because of the fact that the boom is rotated on its pivotal point,

assuming, of course, that the inclination is downward with the load.

If the load were to be swung in the opposite direction the reverse condition might prevail, in which case undue power and stress on machinery and cables would be necessary to rotate the boom with the load attached up an inclination caused by the aforesaid inclination of the frame.

In this specification and the annexed drawings, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such form, because it may be embodied in other forms, and it is also to be understood that in and by the claims following the description, it is desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it may be embodied.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front end elevation of a ditching machine of caterpillar type with my improvement installed thereon.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1 on a reduced scale.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a traveler with a clevis attached thereto, showing a portion of the topping lift. The structure here shown comprises parallel endless belt track'layers 1 and 2 suitably journaled on a frame 3 which supports sills 4 carrying the deck 5 of a ditch machine, here shown diagrammatically and forming no part of the present invention, At a suitable point intermediate the length of the deck is secured an A frame composed of side members 6 and 7 suitably attached by cross members 8 and 8 all preferably formed of structural steel and joined by gussets 9, 10, 11 and 12. The A frame is further braced and supported by oblique structural members 13, as shown in Fig. 2, which are attached as shown at 14 to the members 6 and 7. The members 13 are further braced by an angle iron 16 which together with the brace 9 form a suitable foundation for a deck-house 17 provided with a window 18 at the forward end and 19 at the side. At a suitable point intermediate the A frame at the base is a heel casting usually in the form of a turn-table. To the heel casting is pivoted, as shown at 21, a boom 22, the opposite end of which is suitably secured to one end of a topping lift 23, the opposite end of which is reeved through or suitably secured to a clevis 24 which is pivoted on a bolt 25 which extends through a lug 26 integral with a ring-traveler 27. The ring-traveler 27 is internally threaded for engagement with a worm shaft 28 and is adapted to travel laterally as the shaft 28 is rotated. The shaft 28 is suitably journaled in bearings 29 and 30 and thrust bearings to take the stress when the boom is swung around. The bearings 29 and 30 are suitably secured to the A frame. Keyed to the shaft 28 is a worm wheel 31 which may be driven by a worm 32 on a shaft 33 journaled in a suitable bearing attached to the member 15. The shaft 33 is provided with a hand wheel 34 or other means, placed in convenient position for operation from a pilot house.

The operation of the device is as follows :lVhen a ditch or excavation is to be made, the machine is brought to the locality by rolling the same upon itself laying tracks 1 and 2. If the ground is level so that the tracks are in the position shown in figures, the boom 22 will have an upright position as shown. If, however, the ground slants so that the framework takes the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the worm 28 will have to be rotated so that the traveler 27 will move toward the right in the drawing, which action is accomplished through the hand wheel 34:, shaft 33 and worm gear 31. This will cause the traveler 27 to move to a position in vertical alinement with the lower pivot of the boom 22.

Having thus described this invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows z 1. In an excavating machine, a base structure provided with movable members on each side on which the base travels, a turntable substantially central between the movable members and a boom hinged on said turn table, a cable attached to the upper end of said boom, a block through which said cable is reeved a pair of support struts mounted on the base and respectively over each movable member, a cross piece between the upper ends of said struts on which said block is adapted to travel between the struts and means for shifting the block on the cross piece to vary the center of support of ihe boom with respect to the movable mem- BIS.

2. An excavating machine as set'forth in claim 1 wherein the cross piece and the block are in threaded engagement.

8. An excavating machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said turntable is located on said base substantially forward of the centers of the movable members and central between said members and wherein the upper ends of the said struts are supported by tension members from each side of the base and back of the centers of said movable members.

l. An excavating machine comprising a pair of caterpillar members and a platform bridging said members, a boom rotatably pivoted to said platform and having its upper end connected by a tension cable reeved through a block, a block laterally movable in a plane at right angles to said caterpillar members, and means for shifting said block, whereby the axis of rotation of the boom may be adjusted to the vertical upon a lateral displacement of the caterpillar mem bers from horizontal.

5. An excavating machine as set forth in claim i wherein the means for shifting said block comprises a spindle in screw engagement with said block, and means for rotating said spindle to cause the lateral travel of the block and means supporting said spindle from the platform.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 25th day of June 1919.

SAWYER Y. MONOKTON In presence of- A. J. HENRY. 

